Decorative lighting for christmas trees



Sept. 25, 1934. SEGHERS 1,974,472

DECORATIVE LIGHTING FOR CHRISTMAS TREES Filed Ju ly 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "Mia -14 Sept. 25, 1934. SEGHERS 1,974,472

- DECORATIVE LIGHTING FOR CHRISTMAS TREES Filed July 16. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jwnwr 7 f. @2414 Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DECORATIVE LIGHTING FOR CHRISTMAS TREES This invention relates to a lighting circuit especially adapted for the miniature lamps used in d corative lighting for Chrstmas trees.

. The invention has for its object the provision of a lighting circuit which will be more convenient -and flexible in its application to Christmas trees than circuits heretofore devised, which will be economical to manufacture, convenient to install,

I and which will permit a better distribution of the 20 the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a lighting set made according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows a conductor cord and bulb with a ring for holding the cord;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ring used in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end view of a double contact double socket forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. e is a longitudinal section of the socket shown in Fig. 5; v

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a double contact single socket;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the socket shown in Fig. I;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a contact plug formapart of the present invention;

i0 is an end view of the plug shown in Fig. i);

ii is an elevation of a modified form of plus;

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of the plug shown in Fig. 11;

13 is a transverse section on line l313 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. id is an end view of the plug shown in Figs. 11 and 12.-

ln the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a Christmas tree or other object to be decoratively lighted with miniature electric light bulbs such as usually require a voltage of about one-eighth of the voltage commonly supplied for house current so that a series of eight bulbs will be suitable for connection to the ordinary house current voltage. Provision is made, however, for increasing the number of bulbs in the series in case a higher voltage is used. The numeral 11 designates one conductor and the numeral 12 the other conductor of an extension circuit provided with the usual contact plug 13 arranged to be screwed into the ordinary electric light socket. Socket members 14 are distributed at suitable intervals along the conductors 11 and 12 and each socket member is provided with two contact openings 15 and 16 connected with the conductors l1 and 12, respectively. As will be seen from Fig. 8, the socket members 14 each comprise a body of dielectric material through which the conductors 11 and 12 extend, there being spring contact members 1'? and 18 connected with the conductors 11 and 12, respectively, and disposed in the slots 15 and 16.

The individual miniature electric lights 19 are connected in series in a single string 20 and plugs 21 and 22 are connected to the opposite ends of the string 20. Each of the plugs 21 and 22 comprises a dielectric block 23 having a metal tongue 24 secured therein and projecting therefrom, the conductor 20 being electrically connected to the tongue 24 and extending fromthe end of the block 23 opposite the tongue 24.

n1 connecting the string 20 of lights 19 to the main supply circuit comprising the conductors l1 and 12, it is only necessary to insert the plug 21 lnthe side of a socketconnected with one of the conductors 11 and the plug 22 in the side of a socket connected with the other conductor 12. The plugs can be inserted in the two openings in the same socket or can be inserted in opposite openings in different sockets. It has been found convenient to color the sides of all of the socket members connected with one conductor 11 with one color and the sides of the socket members connected with the other conductor 12, with a different color. The plug 21 may be colored the same as one side of the various socket members and the plug 22 the same as the other side of the various socket members. If this plan is carried out it will be only necessary for the decorators to ascertainthat each plug is inserted in the side of any socket colored the same as the plug. This will insure that the string of lights is connected between the two conductors 11 and 12 and will therefore be supplied with the voltage between the conductors.

In order to hold the dielectric housings of the plugs 14 in close engagement with the housings 23 of the plugs 21 and 22, the metal tongues or contact devices 24 are each provided with an opening 35 adapted to receive the ends 34 of the contact members 17 or 18, whereby accidental separation and exposure of the contact devices the socket shown in Figs. 7 and 8 except that the conductors 11 and 12 are each provided with two contact springs 25 instead of a single contact spring as shown in Fig. 8.

A lap ring 26 of celluloid or other suitable spring material may be placed about the two parts of ,the conductor 20 which leads-to the various lights 19. These rings may be slid toward or away from the bulbs 19 to give varying lengths of cord between the ring and bulb for producing ,difierent lighting eflects.

In some places a voltage is supplied equal to twice that of the voltage supplied in other places and in this case it is desirable to provide two strings of eight lightsin series across the supply line rather than a single string ofeight lights. In order that this may be readily accomplished, a plug like that shown in Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, may be provided. This plug comprises a housing 2'7 having a tongue 28 projecting from one end thereof and having a pair of spring clips 29 disposed within the housing and connected to the tongue 28. A conductor 30 is secured to the tongue 28 and projects through a slot 31 at one side of the housing. A plug 32 is secured to one end of the housing having a slot 33 therein registering with the opening between the spring clips 29. When a circuit of the usual voltage is supplied, this form of plug may be employed in the same way as the form previously described. When it is desired-to connect two strings in series, the tongue 24 of one string may be inserted into the opening 33 sothat the conductor 21 will be in series with the conductor 30. In this case the tongue 28,is not used.

I claim:

1. A decorative lighting set, comprising a power circuit, a plurality of tree lighting sockets arranged in series with each other, and separate detachable connectors connected to separate conductors, one of said conductors being attached to one end of said series of sockets and the other of said conductors being attached to the other end of said series of sockets and one of said detachable connectors having a pair of contacts thereon so that it may be selectively connected to a connector in the power circuit or to a connector in a second series of tree lighting sockets.

2. A decorative lighting set comprising a power circuit, a plurality of tree lighting sockets connected in series with each other and having conductors connected to the sockets at the opposite ends of said series, and separate plugs connected to each of said conductors, one of said plugs having both male and female contacts thereon, so that it may selectively engage a power circuit or a second series of tree lighting sockets, said power circuit and said second series of tree lighting sockets having opposite types of connectors to cooperate with said male and female members.

3. In a decorative lighting set, a main current supply line comprising a. pair of insulated conductors, a plurality of power outlet contact members spaced along the current supply line, each Y member comprising an insulator, and--encl0sed contact devices, the insulator having openings for the entrance of a contact blade, a third conductor carrying a plurality of series connected light sockets, said third conductor having at each end a contact memberseparate from the contact member at the other end thereof, each comprising an insulating sleeve and a projecting contact blade connected to said third conductor, the enclosed contact devices and the contact blades having interengaging means for securelyholding the respective sleeves and insulators in close contact with each other when the blades andcontact devices are in operative engagement, whereby separation and exposure of the latter is avoided.

4. A decorative lighting set comprising a plurality of light sockets, insulated conductors for connecting said light sockets in series with each other, the light sockets at each end of the series having separate conductors connected thereto, separate detachable connectors on each of said last mentioned conductors, one of said connectors including a dielectric finger piece and a contact element, a power supply line, an insulated electric contact element in said power line, said contact elements having separable interengaging means to securely hold the finger piece in close engaging relation with the insulation of the contact element of the power line whereby accidental separation and exposure of the contact elements is avoided.

5. A decorative lighting set, comprising a plurality of light sockets, conductors for connecting said light sockets in series with each other, the light sockets at each end of said series having separate conductors connected thereto, and separate detachable connectors on each of said last mentioned conductors, one of said connectors having its'power contacting means within the body of an insulating finger piece, said finger piece having an opening to permit contact with a source of electric power.

6. A decorative lighting set comprising a pluly fastened within the body of an insulated fingerpiece, with another portion of the same extending beyond the body of said insulated finger piece.

EMIEL P. SEGHERS. 

